


Passing the Torch

by 27dragons



Series: 27dragons' Tony Stark Bingo [19]
Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AvAc never ended what are you talking about, Avengers: End Game fix-it (sort of), Gen, Multiverse, Nervousness, dad tony stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 09:12:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19226107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27dragons/pseuds/27dragons
Summary: Tony saved the universe, but that was nothing compared to facing this classroom.(Tony Stark Bingo fill for square R3 - Crossover: Marvel Verse/Marvel Verse)





	Passing the Torch

Tony opened the classroom door, just a crack, and peeked into the room.

Bedlam reigned.

Loki and Natasha were leaning close together, and something about their expressions screamed “up to no good.” Natasha was holding a knife and Loki was doing some kind of magic on it. That, too, screamed “up to no good.”

Sam was methodically tearing pages out of his notebook, wadding them up into balls, and throwing them up into the air for Clint to shoot at. It didn’t look like he’d missed yet; the far wall looked like a porcupine had wandered through a paper factory.

Janet and Greer were talking excitedly at each other, both at the same time; that could have been about a new fashion design or about punching Hydra spies, either one. It was hard to tell.

Peter Parker was trying to talk Thor into some sort of experiment with Mjölnir, letting it drag Peter along as it flew, or something. Thor looked like he was going to agree any minute now.

Bucky -- the Winter Soldier one -- was sitting in the back of the room, his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, ignoring everyone else while he picked out a melody on his guitar. Bucky -- the World War II child soldier one -- was sitting next to Steve, and they _looked_ like they were actually doing some kind of homework, but as Tony watched, Bucky traced a trajectory arc with one hand and Steve laughed, so Tony was willing to bet _that_ wasn’t exactly innocent, either.

In the back corner of the classroom, Billy and Teddy were making out.

And in the very center of the room, arms spread out to the sides like he was lounging on a sofa rather than folded into an awkward school chair, was... Tony.

“Yeah, no, I can’t do this.” Tony backed up, letting the door close silently, and turned to go-- and ran smack into Nick Fury’s rather solid torso. “Jesus! You’re even sneakier than the one back home. How do you do that? Nope, you know what, nevermind, I don’t need to know. I’m just going to head right back out and--”

“They need you, Stark.” Nick’s resting grouch face broke into something close to worry. “Those kids... I don’t think they’re ready for what’s coming. They need someone with your experience.”

“My _experience_ ,” Tony pointed out, “got me exiled from my home dimension!”

“Exiled is a bit harsh. It’s not like they wanted you gone.”

Tony waved a hand, dismissing Nick’s argument. “I can’t go back. I can’t even _look in_ on them to see how they’re doing, to make sure my daughter is okay, to--” His throat closed, and he paused long enough to swallow the tears. _Stark men are made of iron_. Morgan had _survived_ , and that was going to have to be enough for him.

“You can’t,” Nick agreed solemnly. “And that sucks. I’m sorry, Tony. I really am. But you’re _here_ , now. And we really need your help.” He pointed toward the classroom, with its swiftly-increasing volume. “ _They_ need your help.”

Tony looked at the door, fixed his eyes on the grain of the wood, as if he could see right through it if he wanted. There was a Peter Parker here, in this dimension. He wasn’t exactly like _Tony’s_ Peter, but he wasn’t entirely _unlike_ it, either.

“What about your Stark?” he asked. “Isn’t that some kind of paradox, for us to be in the same room, or something?”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Do you know how many dimensional- and time-travel duplicates we’ve already got, here? Two Bucky Barnes, right there in that room. Three Clint Bartons. Handful of Groots. Whole mess of Thors, including a girl and a goddamn _frog_. Trust me, if doubling up on yourself was going to make the universe implode, it would have happened months ago.”

“All right, all right.” Tony squared his shoulders and put his hand on the doorknob. “Wish me luck.”

“Nah,” Nick said. “You’ll be fine.”

Tony turned to deliver a scathing retort, but Nick was gone already. How _did_ he do that?

He steeled himself, then pushed the door all the way open and walked to the front of the classroom, rocked back and forth on his heels a little, waited for the kids to notice him. And then notice who he was. Little by little, and then all at once, they fell silent, all eyes on him.

“Well, now, _that’s_ interesting,” Loki purred into the silence. “That’s _very_ interesting.”

Tony suppressed the urge to punch him in the face. He was just a kid. Mischievous, a little bit of an asshole sometimes, but _not_ the Loki that Tony knew.

And Nick was worried enough about the upcoming... event... that he’d begun recruiting even the villains, the ones willing to pledge themselves to the school and its safety.

Tony looked around the room, meeting as many eyes as he could, feeling the weight of their curiosity and questions. Nick was counting on these kids to save the universe. Damned if Tony wasn’t going to give them all the help he could. This universe wasn’t his home, but that didn’t mean it didn’t need him.

Tony took off his glasses and tucked them into his pocket. “Welcome to Multiverse Practical Theory 101,” he said. “I’ll be your teacher, and as you may have already figured out...” He met the young Tony Stark’s gaze and let himself smile, just a little. “I am Iron Man.”


End file.
